The Girl in the Trees
by JimmyValone
Summary: When Shanti finds herself captured and hypnotized by Kaa, the python can't wait to enjoy the company of his latest pet. However, after Bagheera speaks to the snake, he wonders if giving his girl-cub captive more freedom might make their relationship more entertaining...
1. Mysteries of the Jungle

Author's Note: To any readers of my previous story, this is a completely unrelated fic to A Slave Named Shanti. While the future of that story is still TBD, I did take notice of some of the comments regarding how you'd like that story to end. Without giving too much away, I think that most people would like to happen would clash with how I imagined the story, especially regarding the relationships between Shanti/Kaa and Shanti/Mowgli. However, it did inspire me to write this story, so perhaps this may quench people's desires. Please enjoy!

* * *

To any man or beast roving within, the wild jungles of India were a constant source of mystery and intrigue. From every unseen corner stalked prowling animals, scheming predators keeping their eye on some unsuspecting prey. As a result, such prey found themselves in a persistent state of trepidation. Who could tell whether that movement in the corner of one's eye was merely a trick of the light, or a carnivorous creature just ready to pounce, ridding the jungle of the prey and their fearful awe? Indeed, in the great unknown expanse of the jungle, who could even tell if some other danger lurked, beyond that of merely serving as a meal to some greater beast? Behind every tree, within every shadow, any danger was possible. And so, often the worst threat to a wandering presence was the very anxiety that kept them cognizant of danger. A fearless man ignorant of the jungle's dangers suffered death but once; the fearful experienced thousands.

These harsh truths were well known among the few scatterings of civilization in the jungle. It was rare to find villagers wander too far into the brush, tending to hunt and gather as near to their home as possible. The sight of man, or scent, was not commonly found in the deeper regions of the jungle. This was just as well to the predatory animals inhabiting these regions. Few had particular desire for the taste of human flesh. They made do with the prey that did present itself to them in their remote habitat. Should man somehow find its way that far into the jungle, then perhaps a meal could be made of them. Still, there was always a risk, however small, that villagers would seek retribution for a missing friend of theirs. This was rare indeed, particularly so deep in the jungle, but it nonetheless gave pause to creatures seeking to make a meal out of man.

It was for this reason, then, that Bagheera the black panther was so puzzled to detect an unfamiliar scent during his hunt one morning. The sun shone particularly brightly, warming the land and casting dark shadows in the densest parts of the jungle where the feline currently strolled. The panther was used to walking this part of the jungle. He visited every month or so, to meet up with old friends. Kaa, the great rock python, made his home in the canopy of this region, and thusly Bagheera's visits here were normally cordial, to chat with his reptilian companion since childhood. They had mutual trust of one another, and neither feared being consumed by the other. Kaa usually snapped up the few animals passing through for himself, and Bagheera in turn was happy to scavenge elsewhere.

This made it all the more strange for Bagheera to discover a live scent here. Continually moving forward, the panther kept his nose pressed to the ground, following the strange smell. 'Still fairly fresh' he thought to himself, eyes turning upward to look around. 'Still alive? Kaa usually makes quick work of his victims… Could they have escaped his grasp?" Taking another whiff, the feline shook his head. 'It's too strong for them to have left. Whatever this creature is, they're still nearby…"

Bagheera began moving again, but he was not hunting. In fact, he was at a loss how to handle the situation. Out of courtesy, he gave Kaa dominion over this area where he made his residence, to consume as he pleased. Why would the snake not have noticed this scent himself, and coiled up for himself an easy dinner? Could Kaa not have noticed? The thought gave Bagheera a pang of concern. The python was some decades old at this point. Surely he hadn't…

Picking up his speed, Bagheera disregarded the scent and made his way for where he knew Kaa usually made his home. Yet even as he ran, he could tell the scent was getting stronger. Perhaps… this creature had gotten the best of Kaa? Bagheera pushed the thought of his mind, needing his thoughts to be clear to deal with whatever it was he was drawing toward.

At last the panther recognized the familiar stone formation a few feet off from a wide tree trunk that marked the serpent's usual nest. By now the scent was flaring in the panther's nostrils, a bit more defined. It was a soft scent, somewhat fragrant, yet pervading it was something else, something more primal…

Gazing up towards the canopy, Bagheera narrowed his eyes and widened his ears, searching for any sign of Kaa or the mysterious source of the scent. The tangle of leaves and vines hid what lay beyond from view, but the panther was able to pick up a faint sound. Bagheera heard a soft, calm voice, but it wasn't speaking. It was… giggling?

The panther had just about enough of this mystery, and called up with a mild tone of concern. "Kaa? Are you up there? It's Bagheera!" Sure enough, at the sound of his call the giggling stopped, replaced with a hissing that Bagheera knew all too well. After a few moments, the panther was relieved to see the head of a snake wind down through the canopy above the jungle floor. The large, brown spotted python was unmistakable, as was the wide grin adorning his lipless mouth.

"Why hello, my friend! What a lovely surprise! I must admit, I wasn't expecting your company." The snake's neck twisted as he spoke, scales glistening in the sunlight as he did so.

"I wasn't expecting to speak to you so unexpectedly myself, Kaa! I'm simply happy to see that you are well," Bagheera said in reply. Seeing the snake in good spirits calmed him down as he sat on his hind legs, but his voice still carried an air of worry that did not go unnoticed by the python.

"Hmm? And is there any reason why you would think otherwise?" the snaked asked curiously.

"Oh, no not at all. No good reason at least," Bagheera said sheepishly. It seemed he may have made a faux pas by suggesting the predatory snake was in some sort of danger. "It's just my overactive imagination, nothing more. I had detected a scent I haven't noticed before and, well, I became concerned that things were amiss."

With a dismissive laugh, Kaa waved away Bagheera's concerns with his tail. "Nothing amiss here, I'm afraid! I'm living in especially good conditions, in fact."

"A happy fact, indeed," the panther nodded, before furrowing his brow. He inhaled again, taking in the strong aroma surrounding him. "Hmm. That scent is particularly strong here. Don't you sense it, Kaa?"

Kaa eyed Bagheera with a look of suspicion, before flicking his tongue a few times into the air. "My, that _is_ a scent. It must have… escaped my notice somehow…"

Bagheera cocked an eyebrow at that. Kaa, not noticing a scent as overwhelming as this? That was unlike him, almost too farfetched to be true.

"You, old friend? Didn't notice? Now, I may have let my fears get the better of me before, but I have more confidence in your skills as a hunter than that. Surely you can't be serious?"

Kaa huffed, straightening his coils and turning his head away from the panther. "As a matter of fact, I am serious. I was in the middle of a little siesta, and was still in the throes of rest. Is that not feasible to you? Or are you so much greater a hunter you can't imagine taking a small nap? I daresay, if you only came here to insult me, you've achieved your goal."

The panther shook his head again, apologetically. "I'm sorry, Kaa. This was not my intention at all. If it pleases you, I can take my leave. Perhaps I can return later under better circumstances?"

"Ohh, I suppose so. I shall have to think it over…" Kaa said melodramatically, batting his eyelids in a showy expression of hurt.

Bagheera stretched out on to all fours, ready to leave the snake to recover from his unintentional wounds. He had only taken a few steps forward when he noticed something in the corner of his eye. Pausing, he turned his head, spotting something laying incongruously on the ground some few feet away. Strewn unceremoniously behind the wide tree trunk was a bright purple cloth, a sight practically unknown to denizens of the jungle.

"Mmm? And what's this?" Bagheera said, intrigued. He made his way to the cloth and got a closer look. Though it was sitting in heap, he could tell it was a few feet long, with a small streak of red cloth surrounding it. Just next to it, a smaller cloth could be seen. This one was smaller, and completely white. Bagheera stood puzzled, and was about to inquire further when his nose bustled with excitement. Whatever these findings were, they were drenched in the mysterious scent Bagheera had discovered.

The panther looked up at the snake suspiciously. "Kaa? Might you have any idea what these are doing here?" The snake's face had fallen, eyes wide and neck curled up in embarrassment. "Wh-oh! Those silly things? Well, ahem, it's actually a bit of an amusing story…"

Bagheera wasn't interested. He had known Kaa long enough to know when the devious serpent was hiding something, and poorly at that. Sitting up straight, the panther looked him straight in the eye and spoke authoritatively. "Kaa, there's no point in hiding things now. You know something about that scent, and you know something about these pieces of cloth. What on earth are you—"

He ceased speaking suddenly, his mind coming to a realization. 'Pieces of cloth… of course. It's no mystery who could make those…' Leaping up to a branch some ten feet off the ground, Bagheera stood face to face with his serpentine friend. "Kaa. Do you have man in your coils?"

Sighing with great disappointment, Kaa's head rose a bit higher, away from the accusing gaze of the panther. Just then, from an even higher branch, a collection of coils emerged. They were looped neatly in a row on top of one another, each loop smaller than the last. As the coils made their way into the light, however, Bagheera took notice of the strange appendages poking out of the bottom. Two smooth, hairless legs stood out at an angle, small feet flexing playfully at either end.

"Not so much a man, my friend. More like…" The cocoon of coils at last were fully revealed, and Bagheera could see what sat at the top of the highest loop. From within the coils poked a small face, adorned with a wide grin and spiraling, colorful eyes. The head was nearly hairless as well, save for the decent amount at the crown, with strands pulled out with purple ribbons on either side. The panther's own eyes grew wide as he realized at what he was staring.

"A girl-cub?"


	2. All Alone

For a night in the jungle, it was eerily quiet. There was a slight buzz from nocturnal animals and insects, to be sure, but even their white noise was dulled to an off-putting hush. No doubt the immense heat had an impact on the jungle denizens' relative sluggishness this night. The humidity was thick and palpable, and even a cold-blooded serpent such as Kaa found himself restless and on the prowl. The snake wound carefully through the treetops, his large body slinking across the branches. Very often sections of coils would droop lazily towards the jungle floor before the slack tightened and the snake's body continued moving forward.

Admittedly, the insomniac snake moving with any particular goal in mind, the night simply called for him to move. That said, if he found a purpose, a midnight snack perhaps, he would be more than happy to accept what was offered to him. This was not to be expected by the python, however. As he gave a bothered hiss, Kaa gave a careful look at his surroundings. "It seems as if my moonlit trip is a solitary one," the snake grumbled to himself, having seemingly no one else to entertain him. "Not even a measly rodent taking shelter in the trees. My reputation may have preceded in these parts…" He gave modest chuckle. The challenge of being so well-known a hunter, of course, was that prey were more likely to stay away from your known whereabouts. Few creatures worth catching every presented themselves to him so easily.

"H-hello?"

The snake halted his slithering immediately. Was that a voice he heard? In his domain? At this time of night? Such a sound was almost unheard of. Yet, he supposed, this night was already unusual enough. Peering at the jungle floor below and the apparent source of the sound, Kaa searched excitedly for what had gave away their presence. At first the wide-eyed snake could see almost nothing at all, but after a few moments, he spotted small movements a few yards away. A small body was making its shambling way right toward him, and he could detect the faint sound of the pattering of feet as they moved. The held on to passing trees for support, and breathed with great agitation and fear. Kaa was puzzled at what creature could possibly be so clumsy about their presence, when his eyes caught a better glimpse of the moving figure in the dappled moonlight.

A girl-cub, face gripped with apprehension and confusion, moved ever closer to the tree in which Kaa lie. Her lips parted just enough for her heavy breathing to be heard even in the jungle canopy, while her impressive purple dress made light scraping sounds when caught on the occasional twig. For his part, Kaa was stunned, his face caught in an expression of befuddlement. He had rarely seen man at all, much less so far in the jungle. Yet here was the young of their kind. And not just any young, but a girl-cub. Even to the wild animal, this much was obvious. The smooth rhythm of her walk, the gentle timbre of her wordless grunts, her very scent gave her way.

Coiled in his spot, Kaa's mind raced at what was before him. 'A girl-cub? How best to take advantage of this so fortuitous an occasion? Dare I enjoy the taste of human meat? Surely mankind would not venture this far for revenge? Or perhaps should I simply go on my own way?'

The thoughts of the python were interrupted by the girl-cub's arrival just at the wide base of his tree. The girl, clearly exhausted and frightened, collapsed against the trunk. It was a pitiful sight, even to the serpent. Panting, the girl spoke. "Huff… huff… is… is anyone there? Hah… please… I'm alone… I need help." The girl clearly spoke more to herself in desperation than with any expectation of a response, yet her words did not go unheeded.

'Alone? How wrong you are my sweet…' Kaa thought, a wide grin creeping across his face, for he had made another discovery about this girl-cub. She was young, baring soft brown skin and subtle yet alluring curves. Her voice seemed to have such tenderness in it, and the features of her face were at the same time innocent and seductive. The snake steadied himself at the realization: this girl-cub was attractive. This was without a doubt, yet Kaa still found himself unsure of how best to approach the situation, when at last the epiphany came. The snake hissed gleefully, eyes narrowed in a sinister grin.

'Don't worry my dear, little one… I can take care of you…'

* * *

"… and so, seeing that the poor thing was helpless and alone, I made my presence known and offered her my assistance!" The snake continued his explanation, apparently quite pleased with the story he offered. All the while, the girl-cub in question was suspended in the air, giving the listening panther a clear view of the subject of the tale. Out of the shadows, the scant jewelry adorning her face could clearly be seen; two small hooped earrings and a single red bindi in her forehead glimmered in the sun. Her expression remained ever the same, her wide, almost dopey grin spread across her lips and cheeks, and her eyes containing a glimmer of excitement and adoration at anything she saw. Her legs shifted as the python turned his catch around, knees bending and toes curling with delight, as if she were enjoying some fantastic, magical ride through the air. Childlike wonder burst forth from every facet of the girl.

In contrast, Bagheera sat perfectly straight, eyes furrowed and a skeptical scowl on his face. Upon first laying eyes on this girl, he bewilderedly demanded an explanation for the snake's unique captive. Only now did he realize that a straight recitation of the previous night's events was not enough to satisfy him.

"Assist her? Hypnotizing the poor thing and keeping her coiled up for the night was supposed to assist her?"

"I take offense to your implication," Kaa snarked simply. "If I didn't keep her protected, no doubt some other creature of the night would have discovered her. One much less sympathetic than me, no doubt."

"Yes, Kaa you're such a bleeding heart," the panther muttered back.

Kaa tutted. He could see that his old feline friend was rather unwilling to approve of his latest acquisition. This was the very reason he tried to keep her a secret in the first place!

"Why so critical, Bagheera? Honestly, I can't fathom why you should view my guest here with such disdain."

The panther scoffed. "You should know very well I'm not displeased with your guest, but with you! Why on earth should you find it necessary to coil up a girl-cub all night, and then keep her hidden from me? Don't go on about how your heart went out to her, and all that rubbish. I know you better than that, my friend. You would sooner devour her than help her."

"That hurts, you know," Kaa said, sincerely this time. "I may be a cold-blooded reptile, but I still have some amount of compassion. However… if you must know…"

The python's gaze left Bagheera's interrogating eyes and moved to examine his pretty little catch. The girl-cub returned his look, and her excitement visibly increased in her expression. "I think I've developed the strangest desire for some company. It's a tough existence, my solitary life. No animals, friend or foe, want to live around me. With good reason, I suppose. And as much as I enjoy our chats from time to time, I can't very well make them the center of my life, now can I?"

As he continued his lament, Kaa began to unravel the cocoon of coils that surrounded the girl-cub. Slowly more of her body was revealed as the brown snakeskin slithered off from her skin. When at last only one loop of coils remained around her belly, Kaa sat her down by her rear on a wide branch. Like an infant, the girl-cub immediately toppled backward, legs and newly freed hands splayed in all directions, giggling happily at her predicament. The python watched her entranced antics with a smile.

"So you see, after happening upon this one, I came up with an incredible solution to my lonesome little problem. Why not keep her with me, as a permanent piece of company?" The snake turned back to Bagheera, eagerly awaiting his response. Normally he didn't put too much weight into what the stuffy panther thought of him, but this personal epiphany of his, his need for a companion… it demanded a response.

Begheera did not immediately reply, instead watching the mesmerized girl-cub fidget absentmindedly. She remained flat on her back, stretching out her leg in a playful attempt to reach the python hovering some feet in the air. The smooth leg stiffened as her foot reached its apex, toes wiggling in a vain attempt to get closer to her serpentine acquaintance. The girl stuck out her tongue, licking her lips while she concentrated on the futile task at hand. Seeing that the girl's efforts were fruitless, Bagheera turned to Kaa and spoke up at last.

"If you really wanted company, I'm sure you could have found brighter companions than this one."

Kaa waved his tail, dismissing the panther's criticism. "Oh, her juvenile behavior is merely an effect of my hypnosis, of course. Much easier to keep a docile girl-cub in my coils than one filled with fear and distrust. And I must confess… I find her mindless little games amusing." By now, the girl had rolled over on the branch, dangling one leg precariously while she lie with her belly on the bark. Unbeknownst to the smiling youth, she body was slowly sliding off the branch, but the watchful snake provided a row of coils for the girl to land safely on her feet.

Bagheera sighed, unamused with the snake's behavior. "Kaa, I just don't understand. If you really need a pet, why choose a girl-cub? Why risk man's retribution? What do you see in this creature you can't find in a hare, a bird, anything else?"

The serpent looked back at Bagheera, aghast. "What do I see in her? Can't you see for yourself?" Kaa decidedly raised the girl-cub up to the branch once more. Lifting up one side of his coils, the girl-cub slid on to the branch till she clumsily found her footing once again.

"Stand tall, my sweet…" Kaa said, his head hovering just above the girl's. Upon hearing the snake's command, the young girl looked up at her captor and nodded. "Mmhmm… ssstand tall…" she repeated with a giggling slur. With that, the girl dropped her hands to her sides and stood prostrate on her tip toes, following her given instructions with fervor.

"Isn't she just precious? Just look at that skin, that figure…" Kaa allowed Bagheera to get a good look, to see what he saw. The girl stood completely nude for them, offering her golden brown skin to shine in the bright sunlight.

The panther sat silently bewildered. He cocked an eyebrow at the snake, and spoke carefully. "Are you suggesting… this girl could be your mate?"

"Oh, I wouldn't regard it as anything so formal. I should think of her more as a source of pleasure and entertainment," the snake suggested as an alternative. Bagheera blinked in shock.

"But-but you can't be serious!"

"Of course I'm serious! She's a lovely specimen, and she's at the very beginnings of her sexual maturation." The snake traced his tail along the outside of the girl's body as a demonstration. Her young breasts were small but appreciable, and her waist dipped excitedly towards her curvaceous rear. Hidden between her legs was her womanhood, unfettered by clothing and give off a scent that drove the python absolutely wild.

Yet Bagheera remained fervently against the proposal. "I don't care how attractive you find her, Kaa. Quite frankly, I'm not sure how you find her attractive. Inter-species mating is practically unheard of! But in any case, take such a risky gamble by kidnapping a human? Why would you risk a death sentence over this? I don't suppose the girl volunteered for this position!"

The snake sighed. Of course Bagheera wouldn't understand. They counted each other as friends of sorts, but only as holdovers from their blissfully ignorant childhood. Had the two met today, nothing would stop one from viewing the other as a theat. They lived far too different lives. Bagheera followed codes of conduct, honor, the so-called law of the jungle. Kaa was far less worried about boring matters like those.

"It's a shame you can't see her beauty the way I do. Perhaps then you'd be a bit more sympathetic to the necessary risks. But since you're so concerned for my safety, I should tell you that as a matter of fact, she did volunteer for this position. Or at least, she had decided to leave her life in the village and live an unburdened life in the jungle. With a little convincing, she told me as much. I helped her with that fairly well, wouldn't you say?"

By now, Bagheera grew more anxious with every word from the snake's mouth. He had no idea how much of what Kaa said was true, but it seemed he was immune to every bit of reasoning. Now it was Bagheera's turn to sigh.

"Kaa, I don't understand this one bit. I think this is a foolish errand indeed. But this is your business. If this is how you choose to live your solitary life, so be it. Just… be prepared for the consequences?" Bagheera finished his warning pleadingly.

"No need to worry about me, old friend. My girl-cub and I will enjoy ourselves immensely, and free from danger." He watched as his naked pet began to lose her balance on her tiptoes, falling backward into a waiting hammock of coils. Hissing contentedly, Kaa turned his attention one final time to Bagheera. "Farewell for now, Bagheera. I hope to see you again soon."

Bagheera nodded solemnly, unable to muster more manners given his moody state. Hopping down to the ground, the panther trundled a few steps before pausing, and giving a final word to the serpent.

"I'm glad you have that hypnosis of yours. I'm not sure that you would have found a mate otherwise."

Before Kaa could respond to the stinging comment, Bagheera had already resumed his journey away from the snake's lair. The serpent pushed down the pain at the feline's final offense. 'Nothing more than mind games' he thought to himself, dismissing the panther's words. 'I have better kinds of games to attend to…'

Kaa moved back to peer at the girl-cub again. She was now entertaining herself by blowing at strands of hair which fell from her bangs to her face, her spiraling eyes crossed as she smiled at each burst of air from her lips. Her body lay relaxed on his coil, Kaa's makeshift hammock swinging gently from side to side. The snake hissed, his eager smile reappearing.

"You and I have much to do together, my dear…"


End file.
